Bass Pro Ascend

[bd]

What do you kayak guys think of the Bass Pro Ascend?

 http://www.basspro.com/Ascend-FS12-Sit-In-Angler-Kayak/product/10225299/-1780642

I know it's a Bass Pro item, so it's not going to be the top of the line, but some of the BPS stuff is pretty decent (though some is absolute crap).

I found a used one for a decent price but its a long drive to look at it. I wanted some feedback first if possible on the pros and cons.

Thanks in advance!

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[gaspergou]

12'L x 29''W; 79 lbs. (including the integrated #3 anchor)... seems really heavy for it's size and it's a bit on the narrow side. Without seeing the shape of the hull, particularly how hard the chines are it's hard to say what it would handle like... I suspect if you were soaking bait out of it it would probably be fine. If you're trying to flyfish I'd hold out for something better.

[Bfish]

A better kayak in that same price range (new) is the Pescador (which is a rebadged Tarpon without the newer deck and seat).

Several guys that I know in Alabama and Georgia like the Old Town Discovery 119 (Kaynoe at Dicks) which runs $400 new. Most move the seat forward (ie center of boat) unless they carry lots of gear in the bow.  The fly guys especially like it, due to its higher seating. Some even stand and fish from it. PS they use a kayak paddle with it.

[bd]

Thanks, guys! Gaspergou, you hit on my main concern - the weight. If I'm not mistaken, it's 20 lbs heavier than the Jackson Coosa, and I think the Coosa was all the weight I'd want to haul at a steep takeout like the one we used when you and Mike and I fished.

 


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[MikeA]

No way I'd buy one that I couldn't eventually learn to stand in.

[TimM]

No way I'd buy one that I couldn't eventually learn to stand in.

Not really germane to the actual topic at hand but your comment reminded me of something I saw last week that was both impressive and amusing.  

 I spent the last couple of weeks bouncing around Thailand for work related things and part of this included an excursion to a National Marine Reserve near an island chain in the gulf of Thailand. The trip included some snorkeling and kayaking. As I was watching the guys load the kayaks back on the "mother ship" one of them had "corralled" 4 yaks up against the hull of the big boat with his yak being on the outside of that group. He then stood up on his yak and proceeded to jump from one yak to the other until he got all the way to the inner most yak.  Wow. I know he probably does it more days than not but wow...jumping from one to the other was pretty impressive!

[bd]

Over the weekend, I borrowed a sit-in kayak from Eric (Yoda) for a try.  I was hopping out at a portage and I hung one of my feet in the kayak, with my other foot over the side on the bottom.  Then the kayak started drifting out into deeper water, leaving me to hop on one foot to keep up, until it got deep enough that my foot couldn't reach.  Then I went upside down, with one foot still hung in the kayak, the other flailing around, and my head underwater with cold river water pouring into my waders.  I did that pretty much long enough for everybody fishing along the bank to get a good look and a laugh before my foot pulled out, I got rightside up, and then had to chase down my hat before it floated away.

Oh, and I forgot to put my cell phone in a zip-lock bag in my wader pouch.

I guess I am not quite as impressive as kayak jumping guy.

bd

[Fred Mertz]

BD,

From the reports you've posted, you need a full time camera man at your side.
$10K from the funny video shows would more than pay for the expense.
 

Fred

[Steve H]

This thread is useless without pictures. :-)


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[MikeA]

After watching BD fall in twice while trying to mount and dismount his kayak this weekend I'd like to request that nobody else loan him a sit in, for his sake... 

[grumpy]

After watching BD fall in twice while trying to mount and dismount his kayak this weekend I'd like to request that nobody else loan him a sit in, for his sake... 

That's why SOT's were designed

Grumpy

[bd]

It's a shame because I really liked the ride of the sit-in a little better than a sit-on-top.  It just feels a little more secure - there's more boat surrounding you.  I didn't feel like a bit of rough water could bounce me right over the side.  It seemed to paddle a little faster too.

It's just too bad that I function like a tragically handicapped person when I'm getting in and out of one.  Everybody keeps saying "a sit-in is a drier ride than a sit-on-top."  Yeah?  Well, not if you put your foot in one and then hang upside down in the river.

bd

[bd]

No way I'd buy one that I couldn't eventually learn to stand in.

Apparently I need to learn to sit in one first.  Baby steps.

bd

[grumpy]

bd

Unless you're planning a lot of time paddling upstream against current, i still believe the SOT is the best design, it's not as fast as the Sit In, wider though which slows it some.
All you have to do is sit on it & swing your feet.
We jumped off several years back(voluntarily) in deeper water, pulled up to the side & got right back on the SOT, with the sit in, you'd be trying to get it to shallow water, to get water out probably, not to mention trying to get back in it.
I've taken short naps in both while floating down the river(something i'd advise you against ) i felt more secure on the SOT while doing so.
I still think you'd be happier on a SOT in the long run, as far as being drier, that's arguable.

Grumpy